Improvement in thrashing-machines



2 sheets sheet 1. A. Mo'NAUGHT'. THRBSHING MACHINE. No. 115,081. A Patented'May 23, 1871.

2 Sh eefs-Sheet 2.

A. MGNAUGHT. THRESHING MACHINE.

No. 115,081. Patente@ May 23, 1871.

anca site (haunt y @time ARCHIBALD MCNAUGIIT, OF ALLIANCE, OIIIO.

The Schedule referred ti) in these Letters Pateut and mailking partx of the same.

-To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARCHIBALD MCNAUGHT, of Alliance, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Grain-Thrashers and Cleaners; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,

i and exact description thereof, which will enable others carrier and separator.

Figure 5 represents in detail one of the vibrating arms, to which the back end of the fanning-mill shoe is hung and the inclined bottom or grain-board is attached.

My invention consists in the arrangement of an inclined reeiprocally-moving bottom or grain-board along which the grain and chaff are carried to the fanningmill, in connection with a stationary longitudinallyslotted platform, vertically reciprocating longitudinally-moving beating-hars, and an open grain-receiving space.

My invention also consists in the arrangement of vibrating arms, which are pivoted to the frame ofthe machine at their centers, (or at any other intermediate point that shall produce the same results,) to the lower end of which the back end of the fanning-mill shoe s hung, and to the upper end of which the inclined bottom o r grain-board is attached, said arms being,

from the point of their attachment tothe frame, at

right angles with the inclined bottom or grain-board and the farming-mill shoe, to produce the proper movements of these parts in different planes of motion.

ln the accompanying drawing- A. fig. 1, is the frame of a thrashing-machine, pro'- vided at one end with a feed-board, a, over which the grain is passed-to the thrashing-cylinder A.

From the thrashing-cylinder it passes to an endless rotating web, B, orapron, running in the direction indicated hy the'arrows around the drums or pulleys b. lhcse pulleys should be from four to six inches in diameter, and should make from two to three huudred revolutions per minute, which would give the welra rate of travel of about three hundred feet per' minute.

At the' rear of the web, figs. l, 3, and 4, the stationarylongitudinally-slotted separating-platform D is yfor the' straw from the thrashing-cylinder,

arranged, upon which the separation of the grain from the straw is effected, while the inclined bottom or grain-board D', beneath it, receives the grain and chal` and carries it to the cleaning-mill.

The platform I) should stand at an elevation of about one inch in three, for the purpose of preventing the too rapid passage of the straw over it, and at the same time securing the descent of the grain and chai to the cleaning-mill along the inclined bottom or grainboard.

This platform is composed of strips or pieces D, which are beveled on the top each way from the center for the purpose of securing the passage of thegrain and chaff through the spaces i between them.

These spaces should be of a width sueient to admit of the free working of the toothed beating-bars E between the strips composing the platform.

The drawing represents these strips D as being perforated with one or more rows of holes, o, but it is preferable to make them of theform described and shown.

Between the timber P that supports the strips composing this platform at the outer end and theplanking P that closes up the space between it and the inclined bottom or grain-board D', is a space, il, figs. 1 a`nd 4, from one to two inches wide, extending across the machine and forming a receiving-passage to the inclined bottom or grain-board D for any loose grain that fails to pass through the platform, and which would be pushed over with the straw and lost.

The space between the decking ofthe machine on the top and the separating-platform forms the passage and the space between the separating-platform and the in- `clined bottom or grain-board D forms the receptacle of and passage for the grain and chaff to the cleaningmill.

The depth of this lower chamber should beabout nine inches, or such as to admit of the free action of the toothed beating-bars E in their-vertically-reciproeating motion beneath the platform, while the depth of 'the-upper chamber should be about eighteen inches, or sufficient to allow said beaters to act upon the straw without compressing it against the decking.

' The inclined bottom or grain-board D' has a longitudinally-rceiprocating motion imparted to it corresponding to that of the tanning-mill shoe, with which it is connected by the vibrating-arms d', figs. l and 2, motion being imparted to the shoe by the cranked fannmg-mill shaft K, figs. l and 2, through the connecting-rods e, g. l.

In iig. 5 these vibrating arms and their attachments are shown on a larger scale, G G G representing dierentviews of one of them, and also showing it pivoted to the machine at L, and connected to the -sufficient to allow them to move shoe at L', and to the inclined bottom or grain-board at l, while 1 I I show the sockets in which these vibrating arms work.

The separating-platform D is provided longitudinally with a number of slots, i., corresponding to the number of toothed bars E that work through them, said number being governed by the width of the machine.

Beneath the stationary slotted platform D is arranged a series of longitudinal beating-bars, E, having their upper sides provided with a series of teeth, e', of proper length.

"hcse toothed beating-bars should be of a length less than that of Vthe slots of the platform, to admit of the longitudinally-reciprocating motion of the beaters therein. They are mounted upon two doublecranked shafts, F, having their b earings fixed in the sides of the machine, as at a, ai, ai, and a, 'g. 4.

The length of the cranks should be from two to three inches.

, The cranks and beaters are so arranged as to pro- 'duce a reciprocating motion of the beaters in every position in which they are placed, whether rising or falling parallel to the platform, or nearly so.

The bearings of the shafts F and the upward stroke of the cranks must be such that each revolution of said cranks will thrust the beating-bars E above the platform with a sudden sharp blow, while the downward stroke of the cranks will be such as to brin" the toothed beating-bars beneath the platform a disiance through considerable space before again strikin g the straw, thereby obtaining a sharp decided blow.

The upper edges of the toothed beating-bars E are projected a considerable distance above the platform, and the entire lifting action upon the straw is performed by the bars, while the teeth perform the function of holding the straw and carrying it forward with the longitudinal movement of the beaters.

It will thus be seen that at every advance movemeut of the body of the straw over the platform it is raised entirely above it, and is subjected to two severe shocks at each throw of the cranksthat is to say, an upward stroke from beneath while ythe straw is at rest throughout the length of the plat-form, and a sudden throwing of the straw forward in a body against and upon the platform by the sudden advance and descent of the toothed bars entirely beneath it.

By this construction and arrangement it will be observed that the action upon the straw is intermittent, and that the platform constitutes a rest for the body of the straw while the cranks are passing through the lowest part of their stroke, thereby causing it to be struck a succession of sharp distinct blows that will etectually jar and beat out the loose grain. This result could not be obtained were the straw not thus left at rest between each blow. To obtain this result the shafts F are caused to make from one hundred and and each fifty to two hundred revolutions per minute,

revolution causes the straw to advance along the platform about the length of a stroke.

The drawing represents the beating-bars E as being boxed to the shafts F; but I prefer to box the two outside ones to the shafts and so connect the others to them as to cause the two thus boxed to carry them.

'lo the ends of the shafts F, projecting through one of the sides ofthe machine, as at a* and a2, iig. 4,'are attached driving-wheels or pulleys, h, which are connected to each other eccentrically by the pitmau h' by wristpins fixed to the outer faces of said wheels or pulleys, so as to effect the simultaneous rotation of the shafts F.

The separator same power that fanning-mill in any suitable 'mannen p By this construction of a combined grain-thrasher and straw-carrier are driven by the and cleaner the following important advantages are secured, viz.:

A very material reduction in the first cost of the machine; great simplicity of construction; a large reduction in the amount of power required to operate it; more efficient and thorough work; greater durability; a great saving in cost of repairs; and also a more compact and portable machine.

Having thus described my invention,

I clairri- 1. The inclined longitudinal and rcciprocally-moving bottom or grain-board D', in combination with a stationary longitudinally-slotted platform, D, and vertically-reciprocating and longitudinally-moving beating-bars, E, in the manner and for the purpose described.

2. The pivoted vibrating arms d', in combination with a fanning-mill shoe of a thrashingfmachine and the inclined longitudinally and reciprocally-moving bottom or grain-board D', when said arms are connected to `those parts so as to move them in different planes of motion, as described.

3. The combination of the grain-receiving space or slot d, arranged as described, with the stationary longitudinally-slotted platform and vertically-reciprocatin'g and longitudinally-moving beating-bars, in th manner and foi-.the purpose described.

4. The combination ofa thrashing-cylinder, A,-with an endless rotating web or apron, B, a stationary and longitudinally-slotted platform, D, a series of vertically-reciprocating and longitudinally-moving toothed beating-bars, E, an open grain-receiving space or slot, d, an inclined longitudinally and reciprocally-moving bottom or grain-board, D', and the vibrating arms'd, when all are arranged and operating as herein shown and described.

In testimonywhereof I have hereunto signed my name.

ARCHIBALD MCNAUGHT. Witnesses:

Jnssn DAY,

DAVID Fonnmo.

drives the thrashing-cylinder and v 

